Breed library

Manchester Terrier

manchester terrier photograph.
Anchor, the Manchester Terrier.jpg - Roger Ahlbrand. CC BY 2.0. Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Anchor,_the_Manchester_Terrier.jpg. License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0. License: CC BY 2.0.

Breed overview

The Manchester Terrier is a breed of dog of the smooth-haired terrier type. It was first bred in the 19th century to control vermin, notably rats, at which it excelled. So efficient at the task was it that it often appeared in rat-baiting pits until that sport, which had effectively been illegal in the UK since 1835, finally died out at the beginning of the 20th century. The breed is generally healthy, although dogs can be affected by several inheritable genetic disorders. A crash in the number of registered Manchester Terriers following the Second World War has resulted in the Kennel Club categorising it as a vulnerable native breed, in danger of extinction.

  • Breed classification: terrierBreed reference breed group.
  • Breed type: dog breedBreed reference breed kind.
  • Country of origin: EnglandBreed reference country of origin.

Breed facts

  • The Manchester Terrier was developed from the Black and Tan Terrier and the Whippet..
  • Writing in the early 16th century, John Caius describes a Manchester-terrier type of dog in De Canibus Britannicis, and at the beginning of the 19th century Sydenham Edwards described what he called a Manchester Terrier in his Cynographia Britannica.
  • The Black and Tan Terrier had an almost legendary status as a rat killer, an ability that was much prized in overcrowded and rat-infested cities such as 19th-century Manchester.
  • The sport of rat baiting, in which a terrier was thrown into an enclosure filled with rats, and timed to see how long it took the dog to kill them all, had become popular by the early 19th century along with rabbit coursing.
  • Similar dogs were bred in various other parts of England, but by 1860 Manchester had become the breed centre for these new terriers, and so they became known as Manchester Terriers.

Size and appearance

By the early 19th century a closer facsimile to the current Manchester terrier had evolved. In The Dog in Health and Disease by J. A. Walsh, a full chapter was devoted to the black and tan, for the first time recognising it as an established breed. The description given by Walsh is still relevant: Smooth haired, long tapering nose, narrow flat skull, eyes small and bright, chest rather deep than wide, only true colour black and tan.

  • Height reference: 38 cmBreed reference height. female.
  • Height reference: 41 cmBreed reference height. male.
  • Height category: medium

Personality and behavior

Care planning: record what your dog enjoys, how they greet visitors, and how they respond to new places. Add notes after walks and training so you can see their habits over time. Where this profile includes behavior research, use the same named measures when comparing your shortlist.

Exercise and activities

Care planning: build a weekly routine with walks, play and time to explore. Enter the minutes and sessions that work for your dog, then compare the weekly total with your available time. Keep notes about the activities your dog enjoys and adjust the routine together.

Training and enrichment

Care planning: choose one everyday skill to practice and keep a record of each session. Note the cue, the reward your dog enjoys and what went well. Rotate familiar games and new activities, and use your notes to choose the next small step.

Coat and grooming

Care planning: use the coat details above to discuss a grooming routine with your groomer. Record brushing sessions, baths and appointments in the app. Add the tools you use and your preferred schedule so the whole household can follow the same routine.

Health and lifespan

Care planning: keep your dog's veterinary records, health-check dates and agreed care plan together. Add reminders for appointments and record changes you want to discuss at the next visit. Use the linked breed organizations and original references to explore their current health resources.

Living with this breed

Care planning: compare this profile's adult dimensions, coat care and available activity information with your household's routine. Make a shortlist, plan who will handle daily care and save the questions you want to ask a breed club, rescue or breeder.

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Compare supported adult height and weight ranges, matching research measures and sourced coat and care categories.

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Breed history

The Manchester Terrier was developed from the Black and Tan Terrier and the Whippet.. Writing in the early 16th century, John Caius describes a Manchester-terrier type of dog in De Canibus Britannicis, and at the beginning of the 19th century Sydenham Edwards described what he called a Manchester Terrier in his Cynographia Britannica. The Black and Tan Terrier had an almost legendary status as a rat killer, an ability that was much prized in overcrowded and rat-infested cities such as 19th-century Manchester. The sport of rat baiting, in which a terrier was thrown into an enclosure filled with rats, and timed to see how long it took the dog to kill them all, had become popular by the early 19th century along with rabbit coursing. In an effort to produce a dog that could excel at both sports, the breeder John Hulme decided to cross a Black and Tan Terrier with a Whippet. Similar dogs were bred in various other parts of England, but by 1860 Manchester had become the breed centre for these new terriers, and so they became known as Manchester Terriers. Other breeds, including the Italian Greyhound and the Dachshund, may also have been introduced into the bloodline.

Clubs and further reading

Sources

  1. Wikidata structured breed dataWikimedia contributors Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: CC0 1.0. Wikidata contributors (CC0).
  2. National C-BARQ breed and all-breed means from USA.PLOS ONE / Figshare Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: CC BY 4.0. Bohland, Kyle R.; Lilly, Meghan Leanne; Herron, Meghan E.; Arruda, Andréia G.; O’Quin, Jeanette M. (2023). National C-BARQ breed and all-breed means from USA.. PLOS ONE. Dataset. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0289356.s003 CC BY 4.0. Selected rows and field names adapted; values unchanged.
  3. File:Anchor, the Manchester Terrier.jpgWikimedia Commons Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: CC BY 2.0. Anchor, the Manchester Terrier.jpg - Roger Ahlbrand. CC BY 2.0. Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Anchor,_the_Manchester_Terrier.jpg. License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0.
  4. Manchester Terrier - WikipediaWikipedia contributors Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: CC BY-SA 4.0. Adapted excerpts from Wikipedia contributors, Manchester Terrier, revision 1346705788. CC BY-SA 4.0. Formatting, citations and selection changed. Source history: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Manchester_Terrier&action=history
  5. Palipaws everyday care planningPalipaws Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: Palipaws original factual summaries. Palipaws. Original care-planning text, separate from breed measurements and licensed article summaries.